Musings over the last week

[Phonedave]

My two girls (6 and 9) and I just got back from a Sun - Sat visit to WDW. Just some random thoughts and observations, and maybe a smattering of pictures to back it all up

1) Beach Club Villas are nice, but I think I like the Boardwalk better. Of course the kids LOVED the pool at BC, but I like to swim, as opposed to enter a whirlpool or a lazy river. It was very fun and and excellent pool, but for my tastes I'll stick with the Boardwalk.

2) Holy Windex Batman! Every morning there were loads of custodial staff out and about at BC cleaning just about everything. Wiping down fence posts and gates and all sorts of stuff. Makes the place look great

3) Yak & Yeti - sorry, it falls way short. An oddball menu that seems awfull slapdash and not well thought out. Pork Pot Stickers - tasty, but nothing special, and lot more expensive than the exact same ones you can get at any run of the mill Chinese food take out. Pho - meh, not the pho I am used to. Not bad, but different. Wok Fried Green Beans - tasty when hot, nasty when cold hate to even think of the fat content in these buggers. Then, no discount, no DDE, and I was told no AP or DVC discount either. I am now reading on line that they are supposed to give an AP and DVC discount. I'll chalk it up to a learning experence and call it a day. I don't think I will be back.

4) Flower and Garden festival. Very nice. I enjoyed it quite a bit (as did the kids) and at least we get to see the inside of the Wonders of Life pavillion. My 9 y/o asked a CM in there why Body Wars was not open. He was a bit taken aback by a 9 year old even knowing what it is (she has never been on it)

5) Speaking of my 9 y/o, she forces me to think outside the nine dots. She listed some of her favorite attractions. Tiki Room Under New Management, Ellens Energy Adventure, Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, Sounds Dangerous. and Honey I Shrunk the Audience. Well at least one guest likes them Serioulsy, maybe there is a fan group. I know of one kid that would be a member.

6) Speaking of MILF I saw a new (to me) segment this time. So it seems that they are adding new parts as time goes on. This new one was not that funny, but at least they are adding new things. As an aside, I was selected as the guy who had the urge to get up and dance. Not a pretty sight people, lots of crying children. The horror ..... the horror.

7) Picture time. OK while I am not a fanboy, I am also not a huge basher of WDW. However, I just can't let this one slide. This is a display that holds walking sticks at AK. It was like this the first day, two days later I was back, and they had put in different walking sticks, but still had this same display rack there. To me that means someone saw this thing and thought it was OK to not only leave it there, but refill it. I mean, seriously, take it our back and hit it with a $3 can of brown Krylon spray paint at least.



8) Not a complaint, but an observation, allthough some will complain. Disposable cups dont get me all in a twist however. The had plastic disposable cups at the Tangerine Cafe that you get the "smoothies" in have park themed artwork around them. There is the tree of life, the BAH, Spaceship Earth, and for some reason the DCL logo. Notice that the MK is conspicusly absent. My 6 y/o picked up on that while were were sitting down at a table at the cafe. She wanted to know why Cinderellas Castle was missing. I didn't have a good answer.

9) Eric, a CM who is a third shift porter at beach club and is on temporary assignment as a Dream Squad member. Kudos to him. Disney will be getting a letter to put in his file. Nothing noteworthy as far as the prize was concerned, but what a guy. We we headed from EPCOT to MK and decided if the line was short we would hit Test Track on the way out. It was a 70 minute wait. We walked up and then started to walk away. Eric came up and asked my kids why they weren't riding. Long story short he took us on the fast pass line with him and he rode with us. He was just such a nice person, so cheerful, and seemed to truly enjoy his job. According to him, two days a week he hands out programmed prizes, and the other three days he walks around "making people happy". It is something my kids talked about all day long, and I am sure they will continue to remember it for a long long time. Not a big prize, but a HUGE impact.

10) I am sure I will think of some other things later, But for now, we had a lot of fun. The parks were clean, cast was friendly, had some proud parent moments. (Uncoached my 9 y/o stood up on Pirates, turned around, and told the woman behind her to stop taking flash pictures - I have no idea where she gets it, really) and overall I was very happy with our stay at WDW.

-dave

[evilqueenrocks]

Originally Posted by Phonedave

had some proud parent moments. (Uncoached my 9 y/o stood up on Pirates, turned around, and told the woman behind her to stop taking flash pictures - I have no idea where she gets it, really) and overall I was very happy with our stay at WDW.

-dave

Glad you had such a great time with your girls! Those little moments make all the difference don't they? And, sure, you don't know where she gets it...

[PeaJay18]

Originally Posted by Phonedave

Uncoached my 9 y/o stood up on Pirates, turned around, and told the woman behind her to stop taking flash pictures - I have no idea where she gets it, really

are just some of my feelings about the above.
Excellent parenting!

Good to hear you enjoyed your trip.

[WSVR]

Isn't Yak and Yeti owned by the same corporation that runs the Rainforest Cafe? I've never had any high expectations for it other than yet another bland corporate American slop house destined to be way overpriced for mediocre food. That's just what Rainforest Cafe is. Why should this or that new T-Rex thing they're doing be any different?

[sealsm]

Originally Posted by Phonedave

According to him, two days a week he hands out programmed prizes, and the other three days he walks around "making people happy". It is something my kids talked about all day long, and I am sure they will continue to remember it for a long long time. Not a big prize, but a HUGE impact.

That is so cool. I love CMs that really get into their jobs and just like to make people smile. You are right - they make such a greater impact than prizes.

[Phonedave]

Originally Posted by WSVR

Isn't Yak and Yeti owned by the same corporation that runs the Rainforest Cafe? I've never had any high expectations for it other than yet another bland corporate American slop house destined to be way overpriced for mediocre food. That's just what Rainforest Cafe is. Why should this or that new T-Rex thing they're doing be any different?

Yes, it is managed by Landry's (I believe owned by Disney, operated by Landry's)

While I don't like Rainforest Cafe, I do like the Chart House (also a Landry's property) and the Saltgrass Steakhouse is decent as well (another Landry's property)

I also wanted to give the place at least one try, to form my own opinion. I really didn't have high expectations either, given the reviews I have read and the Rainforest Cafe connection, but I gave it a whirl nonytheless and it lived down to my expectations. Oh well, there still is no good sit down restaruant at AK.

-dave

[Jerren]

Originally Posted by Phonedave

(Uncoached my 9 y/o stood up on Pirates, turned around, and told the woman behind her to stop taking flash pictures - I have no idea where she gets it, really)

Sounds like your raising her right Dave! When we where in the HM line right after leaving the stretching room and someone took a flash photo my daughter then 7 looked very sternly at them and said "you really shouldn't do that it ruins the whole ride for the rest of us" and promptly turned her back to them. Everyone in line who heard it either laughed or clapped.

[SummerInFL]

Great TR Dave! Sounds like you had a blast with your girls. Way to parent on the pirates, good work! hehe

I would have loved to see you dance and boogie in Monster's, priceless. LOL

[Chickles]

Originally Posted by Phonedave

2) Holy Windex Batman! Every morning there were loads of custodial staff out and about at BC cleaning just about everything. Wiping down fence posts and gates and all sorts of stuff. Makes the place look great

Ahh, nothing reminds me of summer vacations at the Beach Club more than the smell of windex and the cold blast of AC that hits you whenever you're in public areas of the resort

[BigPigletFan]

It sure sounds like you all had a fun time! It's interesting to hear that someone likes those attractions. That's what makes Disney great - something for everyone! And the Dream Squad comment really made me smile too.

[Stitchy]

Originally Posted by Phonedave

9) Eric, a CM who is a third shift porter at beach club and is on temporary assignment as a Dream Squad member. Kudos to him. Disney will be getting a letter to put in his file. Nothing noteworthy as far as the prize was concerned, but what a guy. We we headed from EPCOT to MK and decided if the line was short we would hit Test Track on the way out. It was a 70 minute wait. We walked up and then started to walk away. Eric came up and asked my kids why they weren't riding. Long story short he took us on the fast pass line with him and he rode with us. He was just such a nice person, so cheerful, and seemed to truly enjoy his job. According to him, two days a week he hands out programmed prizes, and the other three days he walks around "making people happy". It is something my kids talked about all day long, and I am sure they will continue to remember it for a long long time. Not a big prize, but a HUGE impact.

-dave

wow!!!! What a great story. It's nice that someone took it upon himself to do something as wonderful as that. Not many people will take that extra step in their job.......

[Phonedave]

Originally Posted by Stitchy

wow!!!! What a great story. It's nice that someone took it upon himself to do something as wonderful as that. Not many people will take that extra step in their job.......

Well that IS his job, but he did do it exceeding well.

He said he had to first be recommended by both peers and his supervisor for the Dream Squad, based on a number of factors including guest interaction. He then had to pass a number of interviews. According to him, getting on the Dream Squad is not a simple thing to do, and they are pretty selective about who they pick.

-dave

[AlwaysImagineer]

WOOO!!!YEA!!! MORE!MORE!